Apparatus for filling golf ball cores, centers, and the like



June 29, 1937.

J. M. OLDHAM APPARATUS FOR FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, CENTERS, AND'THELIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I8 f 7 a Z z. 4 4 4 l1 4 14 Z 50 g l 55 44 g 4 g25 g 4 54 I 34 I I" .m\ Z7 \z E V v ]7 INVENTOR. I I I Jo/20M 0/4/1027?BY 4 4n 644 444446442 ATTORNEYS June 29, 1937. OLDHAM 2,085,228

APPARATUS FOR FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, CENTERS, AND THE LIKE OriginalFiled Feb. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 :[0/7/7 M QM/7am 5 M 6 ATTORNEYS n29, 1937- I J. M. OLDHAM 2,085,228

APPARATUS FOR FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, CENTERS, AND THE LIKE OriginalFiled Feb. 24, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSFOR FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, CENTERS, AND THE LIKE John M. Oldham,Detroit, Mich, assignor to Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich.

4 Claims.

This is a division of my application, Serial No. 712,781, filed February24, 1934, for Apparatus and method of filling golf ball cores, centersor the like.

The main object of my invention is to provide improved means for fillinggolf ball cores, centers and the like.

Another object is to provide a machine or apparatus of this characterwhich is simple and economical in its parts, and very efficient, and oflarge capacity in operation.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appearfrom the description to follow. The invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a machine for filling golfball cores or centers embodying the features of my invention, taken on aline corresponding to line I-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, portions being brokenaway and shown in section at different levels.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on line 3-3 ofFig. 5, showing a core about to be filled through the hypodermic needlesupporting it.

Fig.4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 with a somewhat diiferently formedcore, the expansion of the core wall being indicated by the dotted line.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of a pumpcylinder, showing a center in the act of being filled.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a cooling and cleaningapparatus which I employ in the present embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the conveyor for timing theconditioning of the cement applied to the cores.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on a linecorresponding to line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

' Fig. 9 is a view in section of a patch which is applied to the cementon the core, the thickness of the patch being greatly exaggerated forpurposes of illustration.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the core after the patch has been appliedthereto.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on line |l-|l of Fig. 10 the thickness of thepatch being exaggerated.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of the conveyor for holding thepatches in place on the core for a predetermined time.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section taken on a linecorresponding to line I3-I3 of Fig. 12.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, numeral lindicates a table having an opening 2 in its top 3. On such table top, Imount a cam 4 having a vertical central bore 5 axially alined with theopening 2. A gas burner 6 is disposed under such opening, the supply ofgas to the burner being controlled by a valve (not shown).

A rotor or turret indicated generally by the numeral 9 is disposed abovethe cam and has a central depending shaft or journal l0 journaled withinthe bore 5 thereof. The rotor or turret comprises a central fluidcontainer ll provided with the cylindrical water jacket l2 having watercirculating passages l3 and I4 extending to the bottom of the journalIll. The hot water heater I5 is supported directly above the gas burner6 by the hot and cold water pipes IE and i1 connected to the lower endof the journal H] for rotation therewith.

The water jacket I2 is provided with a water level indicator or gauge I8 and a thermometer [9, the bulb of the latter being arranged in theupper end of the hot water pipe 20. The temperature of the fluid 2| inthe container ll may thus be maintained at a substantially uniformtemperature. The top of the container is closed by the removable conicalcover 22. The temperature of the fluid, preferably buckwheat honey, ispreferably maintained between and F. The water jacket I2 is providedwith the vent 23 at its top.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rotor 9 is turned at a substantiallyuniform speed by a motor (not shown), the latter being connected to thejournal ID by means including belt 29, pulley 30, a clutch (not shown),worm 32, and worm gear 33, the worm gear 33 being keyed to the journalIn at 34. The clutch is normally closed and is adapted to be opened tostop the rotor by means of a foot pedal (not shown), the clutch beingnormally in closed position.

Around the rotor 9, I arrange an annular series of spaced vertical pumpcylinders 38 for rotation therewith. The pump cylinders terminate attheir lower ends in hypodermic needles 39 carried by the heads 40. Fluidpassages 4| lead from the bottom of the container II to the cylinders38, the outer ends of the fluid passages providing ports 42 in thecylinders adapted to be uncovered by the pistons 43 therein when thelatter are retracted. In this case, the fluid flows into the cylindersbelow the pistons by gravity.

The pistons are actuated in their charging strokes by means of theweights 4d radially adjustable on the levers d5 pivoted at 46 to the topof the rotor and connected to the upper ends 5 of the pistons by links31. With this arrange ment, the pistonsare advanced slowly but steadilyand at a substantially uniform rate to inject a measured quantity of thefluid 2! into the ball centers or cores. The quantity of the fluid de- 0livered by each charge is controlled by the ad justable stop 53 actingto limit the downward travel or charging stroke of the'piston 3.

The pistons are retracted by the vertically reciprocating cam followers59 having rollers 56 at their lower ends resting on the cam 4, theirupper ends being connected to the pistons for coaction with the stops 18by means of the clamps 5|. The

cam 4 permits the pistons to complete a pumping or delivery cycle foreach revolution of the rotor. 20 The pressure with which the fluid isinjected intothe'centers is readily controlled by adjusting the radialposition of the weights id.

For making golf ball cores, I prefer to use hollow imperforate elasticspheres 53 of rubber consisting of semi-spherical portions united bycement and/or vulcanization, as best illustrated by Fig. l, the spherebeing conventionally illustrated. In Fig. 4, I show a modified form ofsphere 5 which is made by placing a pair of rubber sheets in a form sothat when a drop of water therebetween is heated by the heat of thevulcanization, steam is generated which expands the sheets into theform, the halves of the sphere thus formed being vulcanized togetherleaving an annular flash 56, considerablyexaggerate'd in theillustration. Inasmuch as both of these methods of forming the hollowrubber spheres'are old in the art, they need no further description byme. In either case, the hollow spheres 53 and 55. contain air or gas,and in the case of the sphere 54' a certain amount of moisture or water55 is entrained therein.

In'- the first step of my method, an operator places the hollow "spheresor cores 53 on the hypodermic needles 39 at a station where the pistonsare at or approaching their retracted position. The wall of the sphereis pierced by the needle, the friction between these parts beingsufficient to hold the sphere in position while the same is being filledwith fluid through the hypodermic needle with the wall of the spherefree to expand if it is desired to fill to expansion as indicated inFig. 4. As the rotor turns, the Weight M acts to advance the piston 43which injects the fluid 55 H, in this case honey, into the hollow sphere53. The quantity'of the fluid charge is preferably such that itwillexactly fill the sphere 53 in its normalor unexpanded state.

The needle has a'chisel point and forms its own openingin the wall ofthe core as the latter isfor ced onto the needle, as shown in thedrawings. The wall of the core grips the needle with sufficient frictionto hold the core upon the needle while the filling is injected thereinthrough the needle, and at the same time the air escapes around theneedle, or when that does not occur the core is slightly expanded, asindicated in Fig.

4, which is likely to occur when water is present,

and when the needle is drawn the air and the water, which are lighterthan the honey, escape through the-opening formed by the needle.However, with a measured quantity designed to exactly fill the'coreythere does not appear to be any substantial expansion, whichindicates that he air escapes around the needle as the core is filled.As no stock is removed, the tension of the walls effectively closes theopening, and as soon as the needle is withdrawn the tension of the wallsefiectively prevents escape of the filling.

As stated, where water is present, as is the case when the core isformed by the method employing steam to expand the core material intothe form, the water rises as the honey is discharged into the core andis discharged from the core when the needle is withdrawn, the incision,however, closing or being of such dimensions as to effectively preventthe escape of the filling material.

In Fig. 11, the needle incision 58 is shown definitely, but it isunderstood that in practice the elasticity and tension of the wallsclose the opening sufficiently to retain the fluid. However, tocompletely seal the fluid within the core so that it is not dischargedduring subsequent ball forming operations and under distortions andstresses in using the ball, this incision is covered by a patch 65.

After the cores have been filled with heated fluid, such as honey, asset forth above, they are placed on a foraminate tray 60, (Fig. 6) withthe incision upward, and immersed in cold water in the tank El. The tank6! is adapted to hold two of the trays so that each tray remains thereinfor a predetermined time. In this case, the right hand tray is removedand the left hand tray advanced to the right hand side of the tankleaving a space on the left hand side thereof for the new tray. The coldwater not only cools the honey in the centers, but also acts to dissolveand clean off any surplus honey which might re-v main on the spheres inthe vicinity of the needle incision. This is a very desirableandimportant feature of my invention. 1

After the filled cores have remained in the and rubber cement, asindicated at 62, isappliedthereto, (see Fig. 8), whereupon they areplaced in the concave recesses or pockets 63 in the conveyor wheel 6d.The conveyor wheel 64 is'adapted to make one revolution every half hourso that the cement is given suflicient time to become properlyconditioned to receive the patch 65. The patch is thin and preferablycomprises a layer or sheet of rubber 66 backed or reinforced by thefabric layer or sheet 67. While the patch is preferably round, it isotherwise not preformed in any way and is substantially flat asillustrated by Fig. 9.

After the balls have traveled around with the conveyor wheel 64 onerevolution, they are removed and a patch 65 is applied to the cement 62thereon. This is preferably a manual operation;

the fabric backing 61 being on the outer side and the rubber layer 66being on the inner side for coaction with the cement 62. show the patchin place, the thickness of the patch being conventionally shown in Fig.11. 3

The filled cores are then placed in the concave recesses or pockets 68of the conveyor wheel 69 under the concave form-fitting holders [0. Theholders 19 are urged to hold the patches 65 in place by the leaf springsll connecting them to the conveyor wheel 69 as illustrated by Figs. 12and 13. The wheel 69 is adapted to turn one revolution in every twentyminutes, thereby giving the cement 62 sumcient time to set and seal thepatch 65 to the exterior surface of the sphere. Thus, when the cores areremoved from the wheel 69, the needle incisionstherein are effectivelysealed by Figs. 10 and 11.

the patches 65, the latter permanently conforming to the spherical shapethereof.

The cores thus formed are now ready to be Wound and/or covered in theusual manner. The cores are Well balanced thereby providing an accurateflight of the finished golf balls.

While I have described my invention in connection with the filling ofgolf ball centers with honey, it is to be understood that this is to betaken as a preferred example and not in a restrictive sense. Myapparatus is very eflicient and effective for the purpose intended.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment whichI have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate ordescribe other embodiments or adaptations, as it is believed thisdisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt myimprovements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for filling golf ball centers and the like, comprising incombination, a table having an opening in its top, a cam mounted on saidtable top and having a vertical bore alined with said opening, a gasburner disposed under said opening, a rotor disposed above said cam andhaving a journal disposed in said bore, a central Water jacketed fluidcontainer having circulating passages extending to the bottom of saidjournal, at hot water heater supported for rotation with the rotor abovesaid gas burner by pipes connected to said circulating passages, anannular series of pump cylinders arranged on said rotor around saidfluid container and provided at their lower ends with hypodermicdischarge needles, fluid passages leading from the bottom of said fluidcontainer to said cylinders, pistons in said pump cylinders, means foractuating said pistons including pivoted levers, links connecting thepistons to the levers, and adjustable weights on said levers, means forretracting said pistons including cam followers coacting with said cam,means for controlling the quantity of the fluid charges comprisingadjustable means for limiting the charging strokes of the pistons, andmeans for rotating said rotor about its vertical axis.

2. A machine for filling golf ball centers and the like, comprising incombination, a rotor having a depending shaft, a central water jacketedfluid container having water circulating passages in said shaft, a hotwater heater supported for rotation with the rotor by pipes connected tosaid passages, an annular series of pump cylinders arranged on saidrotor around said fluid container and provided at their lower ends withdischarge means, fluid passages leading from said fluid container tosaid cylinders, pistons in said pump cylinders, and means for actuatingand retracting said pistons as the rotor turns.

3. A machine for filling golf ball centers and the like, comprising incombination,atablehaving an opening in its top, a camv mounted on saidtable top and having a vertical bore alined with said opening, a rotordisposed above said cam and having a journal disposed in said bore, acentral fluid container, an annular series of pump cylinders arranged onsaid rotor around said fluid container and provided at their lower endswith discharge needles, fluid passages leading from the bottom of saidfluid container to said cylinders, pistons in said pump cylinders, meansfor actuating said pistons including pivoted levers, links connectingthe pistons to the levers, and adjustable weights on said levers, meansfor retracting said pistons including cam followers coacting with saidcam, means for controlling the quantity of the fluid charges comprisingadjustable means for limiting the charging strokes of the pistons, meansfor rotating said rotor about its vertical axis, and means including awater jacket surrounding said central fluid container for heating thefluid in the central container.

4. A machine for filling golf ball centers and the like, comprising incombination, a table having an opening in its top, a cam mounted on saidtable top and having a vertical bore alined with said opening, a rotordisposed above said cam and having a journal disposed in said bore, acentral fluid container, an annular series of pump cylinders arranged onsaid rotor around said fluid container and provided at their lower endswith discharge needles, fluid passages leading from the bottom of saidfluid container to said cylinders, pistons in said pump cylinders, meansfor actuating said pistons including pivoted levers, links connectingthe pistons to the levers, and adjustable weights on said levers, meansfor retracting said pistons including cam followers coacting with saidcam, means for controlling the quantity of the fluid charges comprisingadjustable means for limiting the charging strokes of the pistons, meansfor rotating said rotor about its vertical axis, and means for heatingthe fluid in the central container.

JOHN M. OLDHAM.

